为什么回收“废旧”电池可以节省数十亿并减少同性恋污染

Increased demand for electric vehicles, portable electronics, and renewable energy storage has resulted in lithium becoming a truly critical mineral. As the world races toward a clean energy future, the recycling of lithium batteries has become crucial.
电动汽车、便携式电子设备和可再生能源存储需求的增长使锂成为一种真正关键的矿物。随着世界竞相迈向清洁能源未来，锂电池的回收变得至关重要。

New research from Edith Cowan University (ECU) has highlighted that tapping into used batteries as a secondary source of lithium not only helps reduce environmental impact but also secures access to this valuable resource, supporting a circular economy and ensuring long-term sustainability in the energy sector.
伊迪斯·考恩大学（ECU）新研究表明，将废旧电池作为锂的二次来源加以利用，不仅能降低环境影响，还能确保获取这一宝贵资源，从而支持循环经济并保障能源行业的长期可持续性。

PhD student Ms Sadia Afrin has pointed out that the global lithium-ion battery market size is projected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 13 per cent, reaching $87.5 billion by 2027, with lithium consumption forecast to increase from 390 kilotons in 2020 to approximately 1,600 kilotons by 2026.
研究生Sadia Afrin女士指出，全球锂离子电池市场规模预计将以13%的复合年增长率扩张，到2027年达到875亿美元，而锂消耗量预计将从2020年的390千吨增至2026年的约1,600千吨。

However, only around 20 per cent of a lithium-ion battery's capacity is used before the battery is no longer fit for use in electric vehicles, meaning those batteries ending up in storage or on the landfill retain nearly 80 per cent of their lithium capacity.
然而，锂电池在不再适用于电动汽车之前，通常仅使用了其容量的20%左右，这意味着那些被储存或填埋的电池仍保留了近80%的锂容量。

The Australian Department of Industry, Science and Resources has previously estimated that by 2035, Australia could be generating 137,000 t of lithium battery waste annually.
澳大利亚工业、科学与资源部此前估计，到2035年，澳大利亚每年可能产生137,000吨锂离子电池废弃物。

For the end-of-life batteries, the obvious answer is recycling, said first author Mr Asad Ali quoting figures from the government which estimates that the recycling industry could be worth between $603 million and $3.1 billion annually in just over a decade.
对于报废电池，最显而易见的答案就是回收利用，第一作者Asad Ali先生援引政府数据称，预计仅十余年后，该回收行业的年产值将达到6.03亿至31亿美元。

"By recycling these batteries, you can access not only the remaining lithium - which already purified to near 99 per cent - but you can also retrieve the nickel and the cobalt from these batteries."
通过回收这些电池，你不仅可以获取剩余的锂——其纯度已接近99%——还能从中回收镍和钴。

While the lithium retrieved through the recycling process is unlikely to impact the lithium extraction or downstream sectors, Mr Ali noted that the recycling process offered significant environmental benefits when compared with the mining industry.
虽然通过回收过程获取的锂不太可能影响锂开采或下游行业，但Ali先生指出，与挖矿行业相比，该回收流程能带来显著的环境效益。

"Recycling processes can significantly reduce the extensive use of land, soil contamination, ecological footprint, water footprint, carbon footprint and harmful chemical release into the environment, thereby lowering greenhouse gas emissions and minimising waste.
回收过程可以显著减少对土地的广泛占用、土壤污染、生态足迹、水足迹、碳足迹以及有害化学物质向环境的排放，从而降低温室Gas释放量并最大限度减少废弃物。

"Mining emits up to 37% tons of CO2 per ton of lithium. Recycling processes produce up to 61 per cent less carbon emissions compared with mining and uses 83 per cent less energy and 79 per cent less water as compared to mining. Hydrometallurgical recycling can generate profit up to $27.70 per kilogram of lithium recovered. And again, the lithium produced through the recycling process is already purified to 99 per cent, which means all of the energy, water and emissions are saved from the downstream process."
挖矿每吨锂排放高达37%吨的二氧化碳。与挖矿相比，回收流程可减少高达61%的碳排放，并节省83%的能源和79%的水资源。湿法冶金回收每公斤锂的利润可达27.70美元。此外，通过回收流程生产的锂纯度已达99%，这意味着下游流程可节省全部能源、水资源并实现零排放。

ECU lecturer and corresponding author Dr Muhammad Azhar said that while Australia holds one of the largest hard rock lithium reserves in the world, the recovery of lithium from end-of-life batteries could provide socio-economic benefits and fulfils environmental sustainability.
ECU讲师兼通讯作者Muhammad Azhar博士表示，尽管澳大利亚拥有世界上最大的硬岩锂储量之一，但从报废电池中回收锂可以带来社会经济利益，并实现环境可持续性。

"The mining industry actually offers another source of retired and potentially end-of-life batteries, as the electrification of the mining industry gains momentum. ECU is exploring the second life of these retired lithium batteries," he added.
挖矿行业实际上提供了另一种退役和潜在报废电池的来源，随着挖矿行业的电气化势头增强。ECU正在探索这些退役锂电池的二次利用，"他补充道。

While the benefits of lithium-ion battery recycling seem obvious, Ms Afrin noted that there were still some challenges to be addressed.
虽然锂离子电池回收的好处显而易见，但Afrin女士指出仍有一些挑战需要解决。

"The rate of innovation significantly outstrips policy development, and the chemical make-up of the batteries also continuously evolve, which makes the recycling of these batteries more complicated," she said.
她说：“创新速度远超政策制定速度，电池的化学成分也在不断变化，这使得电池回收变得更加复杂。”

"There is a definite need for investment into the right infrastructure in order to create this circular economy, but there are several Australian companies that are looking at the best ways to approach this."
为了创建这种循环经济，确实需要投资于正确的基础设施，但有几家AU公司正在研究实现这一目标的最佳方法。